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Child Songs of Cheer 









DANDELIONS 

Dandelions, dandelions, shining through the dew, 

Let the Kings have Cloth of Gold, but let us have you! 


r~ 






CHILD SONGS 
OF CHEER 


BY 


EVALEEN STEIN 

ILLUSTRATIONS BY 
ANTOINETTE INGLIS 





BOSTON 

LOTHRORLEE& SHEPARD CO. 


<nO 



Published, August, 1918 



Copyright, 1918, 

By Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Co. 

All Rights Reserved 

Child Songs of Cheer 


Iftorwoofc press 

BERWICK & SMITH CO. 
Norwood, Mass. 

U. S. A. 


SEP -5 1918 


©CIA501685 




Dear Children, all the little words 
These printed pages through, 

They are a flock of little birds 
I bring to sing to you. 

Sometimes they sing of foolish things, 
And other times they try 
To tell their gladness when their wings 
Soar up to seek the sky. 

So, Sweethearts, do but kindly hark 1 
If but a sparrow throng, 

Or if among them there's a lark , 

To you their songs belong ! 





































































































- 





































































































































































































. 

























Contents 


Up, Little Ones ! . 



• 


PAGE 

. 11 

Dandelions . 



• 


. 13 

Our Puppies . 





. 15 

The Lost Balloon . 





. 16 

The Circus Procession . 


• 



. 17 

May-Baskets . 


o 



. 22 

The Picture-Book Giant 


• 



. 23 

Did You Ever ? 





. 25 

Decoration Day 

• 




. 26 

Chu-Chu Cars 

• 




. 28 

Fairy Bings « . 

• 




. 30 

The Firefly . 

• 




. 32 

A Bain Song . 

• 

• 



. 33 

Fairies .... 

• 

• 



. 36 

The Little Fir-Trees 

• 

• 



. 37 

The Wren-House . 

• 

• 



. 41 

The Baby's Bide . 

• 




. 42 

An Indian Baid . 

• 




. 48 

The First Sleigh-Bide . 





. 50 

Sleepy Time . 





. 51 

When Bettie and Anne Went Walking 


. 52 

The Bluebird 

. 

. 



. 54 

The Organ-Grinder 

. 

• 


. 

. 55 


5 


CONTENTS 


The New Moon 





. 

57 

Showery Time 

• 




. 

58 

Easter Day . 

• 




. 

60 

The Sandman 

• 




. 

61 

Dandelion Curls . 





. 

62 

Pop -Corn 





. 

63 

The Rash Little Sparrow 





. 

64 

What If f . . 





. 

65 

Easter Eggs . 





. 

66 

The Birds’ Bath . 





. 

68 

November Morning 

• 




. 

69 

The Runaway 

• 




. 

71 

Lost ! . 






73 

The Queen’s Page . 





. 

74 

Our Tree-Toad 





. 

75 

In the Water- World 





# 

77 

Who Was It ? 





. 

79 

Visiting Day . 





. 

80 

A Valentine to Catherine 





. 

81 

Fireflies 





. 

82 

The Rainy Day 





. 

83 

The First Red-Bird 





# 

84 

The Weather-Vane 





. 

86 

The Swan 





. 

87 

Baby’s Baking 





. 

89 

A Sure Sign . 





. 

90 

Another Sure Sign 





. 

91 

The Robin’s Bath . 





. 

93 

The Frosted Pane . 





, 

94 


6 


CONTENTS 


The First Snow 96 

Grandfather Knows 97 

Sleigh-Bells 98 

The Bed-Bird 99 

Wild Beasts 100 

Wherefore Wings? 101 

Basking 102 

With a May- Basket for Baby Agnes . . . 103 

The Little Nest 105 

Christmas Candles 107 

A Song of the Christmas-Tree .... 108 

Our Kittens 112 

In July 113 

A Valentine to a Little Child .... 114 

Zip! 116 

A Little Carol 117 

Song 118 

The Three Candles 119 


7 



Illustrations 


DANDELIONS 

Dandelions, dandelions, shining through the dew, 

Let the kings have Cloth of Gold, but let us 

have you ! (Page 14) Frontispiece *" 


FACING PAGE 


FAIRY RINGS 

See them dancing, dancing, Tips their swiftly glancing 

While the silver moon Little silver shoon ! . 30 


THE BIRDS’ BATH 
When the sun shines warm and high 
Robins cluster round its brink 68 

CHRISTMAS CANDLES 
We can tell Him of our love 

If we set a light for Him 108 / 


9 


* 


/ 














Child Songs of Cheer 


UP, LITTLE ONES ! 

A robin redbreast, fluting there 
Upon the apple-bough, 

Is telling all the world how fair 
Are apple-blossoms now ; 

The honey-dew its sweetness spills 
From cuckoo-cups, and all 
The crocuses and daffodils 
Are drest for festival I 

Such pretty things are to be seen, 
Such pleasant things to do, 

The April earth it is so green, 

The April sky so blue, 


CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 


The path from dawn to even-song 
So joyous is to-day, 

Up, little ones ! and dance along 
The lilac-scented way ! 


12 


CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 


DANDELIONS 

Hey-a-day-a-day, my dear ! Dandelion time ! 

Come, and let us make for them a pretty little 
rhyme ! 

See the meadows twinkling now, beautiful 
and bright 

As the sky when through the blue shine the 
stars at night ! 

Once upon a time, folks say, mighty kings 
of old 

Met upon a splendid field called “ The Cloth 
of Gold.” 

But, we wonder, could it be there was ever 
seen 

Brighter gold than glitters now in our mead- 
ows green ? 


13 


CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 


Dandelions, dandelions, shining through the 
dew, 

Let the kings have Cloth of Gold, but let us 
have you ! 


14 


CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 


OUR PUPPIES 
Little ears as soft as silk, 

Little teeth as white as milk, 
Little noses cool and pink, 

Little eyes that blink and blink, 
Little bodies round and fat, 
Little hearts that pit-a-pat, 
Surely prettier puppies never 
Were before nor can be ever I 


15 


CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 


THE LOST BALLOON 
O dear I my purple toy balloon 
Has flown away ! and very soon 
It will be high up as the moon I 

And don’t you think the man up there 
Will wonder what it is, and stare? 
Perhaps he’ll say, “ Well, I declare l 99 

Or, maybe if it chance there are 
Some little boys in yonder star, 

And if it floats away so far, 

Perhaps they’ll jump up very high 
And catch the cord as it goes by ! 

At any rate I hope they’ll try I 


16 


CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 


THE CIRCUS PROCESSION 
Oh, hurry ! hurry ! here they come, 

The band in front with the big bass drum 
And blaring bugles, — there they are, 

On golden thrones in a golden car, 

Tooting and fluting, oh, how grand I 
Hi diddle, diddle ! 

The fife and the fiddle ! 

Hurrah , hurrah for the circus band I 

And the red-plumed horses, oh, see them 
prance 

And daintily lift their hoofs and dance, 
While beautiful ladies with golden curls 
Are jingling their bridles of gold and pearls, 
And close behind 
Come every kind 
Of animal cages great and small, 

O how I wonder what’s in them all I 

17 


CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 


Here’s one that’s open and glaring there 
Is the shaggiest snow-white polar bear I 
Woof! but I wonder what we’d do 
If his bars broke loose right now, don't you ? 
And O dear me ! 

Just look and see 

That pink-cheeked lady in skirts of gauze 
And the great big lion with folded paws ! 

O me I O my ! 

I’m glad that I 

Am not in that lion’s cage, because 
Suppose he'd open his horrible jaws ! 

— But look ! the clown is coming ! Of course 
Facing the tail of a spotted horse 
And shouting out things to make folks 
laugh, 

And grinning up at the tall giraffe 
That placidly paces along and looks 
Just like giraffes in the picture-books ! 

18 


CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 


And there are the elephants, two and two, 
Lumbering on as they always do ! 

The men who lead them look so small 
I wonder the elephants mind at all 
As they wag their queer 
Long trunks, and peer 

Through their beady eyes, — folks say they 
know 

No end of things, and I’m sure it’s so ! 

And you never must do a thing that’s bad 
Or that possibly might make an elephant 
mad, 

For he’ll never forgive you, it appears, 

And will punish you sure, if it takes him 

years ! 

So do not stare 
But take good care 

To mind your manners, and always try 
To smile politely as they go by ! 

19 


CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 

Bat the camels don’t care if you laugh at 
them 

With their bumpy humps like a capital M, 
They lurch and sway 
And seem to say, 

As they wrinkle their noses, long and gray, 

“ This swaggering stride is quite the plan, 

It’s the way we walked in the caravan ! ” 

And now more cages come rumbling by 
With glittering people throned on high ; 

So many spangles and precious things, 

They surely must all be queens and kings ! 
They look so proud 
Above the crowd, 

0 my, how fine it must feel to ride 
On golden wagons that hide inside 
Strange animals caught in cannibal isles 
And brought in ships for a million miles ! 

20 


CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 


But hark ! it's near 
The end, for hear 

That sudden screeching in piercing key ! 
The steaming, screaming cal-li-o-pe ! 

Just plain pianos sound terribly tame 
Beside this one with the wonderful name, 
And wouldn’t you love some day to sit 
In a circus wagon and play on it ? 


21 


CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 


MAY-BASKETS 
Let us take our baskets early 
To the meadows green, 

While the wild-flowers still are pearly 
With the dewdrops’ sheen. 

Fill them full of blossoms rosy, 
Violets and gay 
Cowslips, every pretty posy 
Welcoming the May. 

Then our lovely loads we’ll carry 
Down the village street, 

On each door, with laughter merry, 
Hang a basket sweet. 

Hey-a-day-day ! It is spring now, 
Lazy folks, awake ! 

See the pretty things we bring now 
For the May-day’s sake 1 
22 


CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 


THE PICTURE-BOOK GIANT 
Once there was a fierce, defiant, 

Greedy, grumpy, grizzly giant 

In the pages of a picture-book, and he 
Sometimes screamed, in sudden rages, 

“ 1 must jump out from these pages, 

For this life's a much too humdrum one 
for me ! 

Fiddle-dee ! 

Yes, this life's a quite too quiet one for 
me!" 

So one rainy day he did it, 

Took the picture-book and hid it, 

Stamped his foot, and shouting loudly, 
“ Now I'm free ! " 

Boldly started out, forgetting 
That he could not stand a wetting ! 

23 


CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 

He was just a paper giant, don't you 
see? 

Dearie me ! 

Just a gaudy, picture giant, don’t you 
see? 


24 


CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 


DID YOU EVER? 

Did you ever see a fairy in a rose-leaf coat 
and cap 

Swinging in a cobweb hammock as he napped 
his noonday nap? 

Did you ever see one waken very thirsty and 
drink up 

All the honey-dew that glimmered in a golden 
buttercup ? 

Did you ever see one fly away on rainbow- 
twinkling wings? 

If you did not, why, how comes it that you 
never see such things ? 


25 


CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 


DECORATION DAY 

See the soldiers, little ones ! 

Hark the drummers’ beat ! 

See them with their flags and guns 
Marching down the street ! 

Tattered flags from out the wars, 

Let us follow these 

To the little stripes and stars 
Twinkling through the trees. 

Watch them waving through the grass 
Where the heroes sleep ! 

Thither gently let us pass 
On this day we keep. 

Let us bring our blossoms, too, 

All our gardens grow ; 

Lilacs honey-sweet with dew, 

And the lilies’ snow. 


26 


CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 


Every posy of the May, 

Every bloomy stem, 

Every bud that breaks to-day 
Gather now for them. 

Lay the lilies o’er them thus, 
Lovingly, for so 

Down they laid their lives for us, 
Long and long ago. 

Heap above them bud and bough ; 

Softly, ere we cease, 

God, we pray Thee, gently now 
Fold them in Thy peace I 


27 


CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 


CHU-CHU CARS 

Turn the chairs down in a row 
Each behind the other, so ; 

Chu-chu ! Chu-chu ! there they are, 
Passenger and baggage-car, 

Chu-chu-chu ! the Morris chair 
Is the engine puffing there, 

Chu-chu ! Chu-chu ! Ting-a-ling ! 
Don’t you hear its big bell ring ? 

All aboard ! Jump on ! if you 
Want to take this train. Chu-chu ! ! 
Off we start now, rushing fast 
Through the fields and valleys, past 
Noisy cities, over bridges, 

Hills and plains and mountain ridges, 
Chu-chu ! Chu-chu ! Chu-chu-chu ! ! 
At such speed it must be true 
28 


CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 

Since we started we have come 
Most a million miles from home ! 
Jump off, some one I Quick ! and go 
To the pantry, for, you know, 

We must have the cookie-jar 
For our Pullman dining-car I 


29 


CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 


FAIRY RINGS 
Softly in the gloaming 
Flitting through the vale, 
Fairy folk are roaming 
Over hill and dale. 

Pixies in the hollow, 

Elves upon the height, 

Let us follow, follow 

Through the paling light. 

Follow, all unbidden, 

To the grassy glade 
Wrapped around and hidden 
In the forest shade. 

Hark the elfin tinkle 
Of their little lutes ! 

Mark the golden twinkle 
Of their fairy flutes I 
30 


FAIRY RINGS 


See them dancing, dancing, 
While the silver moon. 


Tips their swiftly glancing 
Little silver shoon ! 





CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 


See them dancing, dancing, 
While the silver moon 
Tips their swiftly glancing 
Little silver shoon ! 

Tripping, tripping lightly, 
Where their footprints fall, 
Look ! the grass is brightly 
Growing green and tall ! 

Springing close, unbroken, 

In a fairy ring, 

For to-morrow’s token 
Of their frolicking ! 


31 


CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 


THE FIREFLY 
Flash and flicker and fly away, 
Trailing light as you flutter far, 

Are you a lamp for the fairies, say ? 

Or a flake of fire from a falling star? 


32 


CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 


A RAIN SONG 

Tinkle, tinkle, 

Lightly fall 

On the peach buds, pink and small ; 

Tip the tiny grass, and twinkle 
On the clover, green and tall. 

Tinkle, tinkle, — 

Faster now, 

Little rain-drops, smite and sprinkle 
Cherry-bloom and apple-bough ! 

Pelt the elms, and show them how 
You can dash ! 

And splash ! splash ! splash ! 
While the thunder rolls and mutters, 

And the lightnings flash and flash ! 

33 


CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 


Then eddy into curls 
Of a million misty swirls, 

And thread the air with silver, and embroider 
it with pearls ! 


And patter, patter, patter 
To a quicker time, and clatter 
On the streaming window-pane ; 
Rain, rain, 

On the leaves, 

And the eaves, 

And the turning weather-vane ! 


Rush in torrents from the tip 
Of the gable-peak, and drip 
In the garden-bed, and fill 
All the cuckoo-cups, and pour 
More and more 
34 


CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 

In the tulip-bowls, and still 
Overspill 

In a crystal tide until 
Every yellow daffodil 

Is flooded to its golden rim, and brimming 
o’er and o’er I 

Then as gently as the low 
Muffled whir of robin wings, 

Or a sweep of silver strings, 

Even so, 

Take your airy April flight 
Through the merry April light, 

And melt into a mist of rainy music as 
you go I 


35 


CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 


FAIRIES 

Grandfather says that sometimes, 
When stars are twinkling and 

A new moon shines, there come times 
When folks see fairyland ! 

So when there’s next a new moon, 

I mean to watch all night ! 

Grandfather says a blue moon 
Is best for fairy light, 

And in a peach-bloom, maybe, 

If I look I shall see 

A little fairy baby 
No bigger than a bee I 


36 


CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 


THE LITTLE FIR-TREES 

Hey ! little evergreens, 

Sturdy and strong ! 

Summer and autumn time 
Hasten along ; 

Harvest the sunbeams, then, 
Bind them in sheaves, 

Range them, and change them 
To tufts of green leaves. 
Delve in the mellow mold, 
Far, far below, 

And so, 

Little evergreens, grow ! 
Grow, grow ! 

Grow, little evergreens, grow ! 


37 


CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 


Up, up so airily 
To the blue sky, 

Lift up your leafy tips 
Stately and high ; 

Clasp tight your tiny cones, 
Tawny and brown ; 

By and by, buffeting 
Rains will pelt down ; 

By and by, bitterly 
Chill winds will blow ; 

And so, 

Little evergreens, grow ! 
Grow, grow ! 

Grow, little evergreens, grow ! 

Gather all uttermost 
Beauty, because, — 

Hark, till I tell it now ! 

How Santa Claus, 

38 


CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 


Out of the northern land, 
Over the seas, 

Soon shall come seeking you, 
Evergreen trees ! 

Seek you with reindeer soon, 
Over the snow ; 

And so, 

Little evergreens, grow ! 
Grow, grow ! 

Grow, little evergreens, grow ! 

What if the maples flare 
Flaunting and red, 

You shall wear waxen white 
Tapers instead ! 

What if now, otherwhere, 
Birds are beguiled, 

You shall yet nestle 
The little Christ-child I 
39 


CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 


Ah ! the strange splendor 
The fir-trees shall know I 
And so, 

Little evergreens, grow ! 
Grow, grow ! 

Grow, little evergreens, grow I 


40 


CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 


THE WREN-HOUSE 

Yesterday I took my saw 
And some bits of wood, 

And I made a little house 
Nicely as I could. 

I put on a mossy-green 
Little pointed roof, 

And I cut a tiny door 
That is pussy-proof. 

For I hope some little wrens 
To our yard will come 
And will choose my little house 
For their little home. 

I shall hang it in the boughs 
Of the apple-tree, 

And I’m sure as rent for it 
They will sing to me ! 

41 


CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 


THE BABY’S RIDE 

Chee ! Chee I Chickadee I 
Sing-time and sun I 
Aye, aye, baby-bye, 
Springtime has begun ! 

* * * * 

In the little willow cart, 

On a downy bed, 

Pretty parasol of silk 
Swinging overhead, 


Let us go along the lane 
Where a baby sees 
Mighty tufts of grass, and weeds 
Tall as forest trees ! 


42 


CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 


Bluebird on the apple-bough, 

Sing and sing and sing ! 

Sing your very sweetest now 
For babyhood and spring ! 

❖ ❖ ❖ # 

“ Bah ! Bah ! ” from the pasture, 

And “ Caw ! Caw ! ” from the crow, 
And bleating from the little calf 
That has not learned to low. 

H* sfc # 

Apple-buds, apple-buds breaking apart, 

The baby looks upward with love-laden 
gaze; 

Oh, shower some petals down here in his 
cart, 

One honey-sweet cluster of pretty pink 
sprays ! 


43 


CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 


Apple-buds, apple-buds, scornful and too 
Vain of your loveliness, stay where you are 
The cheeks of the baby are pinker than you, 
And finer and softer and sweeter by far ! 

See the pretty little lambs, 

How they frisk and play ! 

See their silky fleeces shine 
White as buds in May ! 

White as are the fleecy clouds 
Softly blowing by — 

What if they were little lambs 
Playing in the sky ? 

❖ * * * 

Robin on the peach-bough, 

Swinging overhead, 

Sing a little song and say 
Why is your breast so red ? 

44 


CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 


Why is your voice so sweet, and 
Your song so merry, say ? 

And wherefore do you spread your 
wings 

And quickly fly away ? 

# * * * 

Ho, ho ! see the queer little prints there 
That cover the road, baby, look ! 

At the web-footed tangle that hints where 
The ducks have gone down to the brook ! 

The Muscovy mammas that waddled 
Zigzag, you can trace in their tracks, 

And the dear little ducklings that toddled 
And tumbled sometimes on their backs ! 

* & ❖ ❖ * 

Buttercup, buttercup, buttercup gold, 

O give us a handful of riches to hold I 

45 


CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 


Ho, ho I laughs the baby, and grasps in his 
glee 

His wealth, but soon shows what a spend- 
thrift is he ! 

— Nay, nay, he is king, though he never was 
crowned, 

And royally scatters his gold on the ground I 

$ $ $ $ & 

Bough of the willow-tree 
Over the brook, 

Down darts a kingfisher, 

Look, baby, look I 

Back on the willow-bough, 

Fishing is done ; 

Happy and nappy now 
There in the sun. 

* & * * 


46 


CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 


Happy and nappy the baby is, too, 
Softly his eyelids droop over the blue, 
Golden his curls on the white pillow lie, 
Sleep, baby, sleep, baby, hush-a-by-bye. 


47 


CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 


AN INDIAN RAID 

Did you see some Indians passing, 
Just a short while back? 

Looks as if they must be massing 
For a fierce attack ! 

Buckskin fringes, turkey-feather 
Huge head-dresses and 

Bows and arrows, altogether 
Quite a frightful band ! 

From the lilac-bushes springing, 
See them rushing I Ugh ! 

Awful war-whoops wildly ringing! 
There’ll be scalping, too ! 

In their fearful frenzy leaping, 

It is very plain 

Soon around us they’ll be heaping 
Mountains of the slain ! 


48 


CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 


Soon their victims will be falling — 
But, above the noise, 

Hark ! I hear somebody calling, 

“ Come to dinner, boys I ” 


49 


CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 


THE FIRST SLEIGH-RIDE 
O happy time of fleecy rime 
And falling flakes, and O 
The glad surprise in baby eyes 
That never saw the snow ! 

Down shining ways the flying sleighs 
Go jingling by, and see ! 

Beside the gate the horses wait 
And neigh for you and me ! 


50 


CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 


SLEEPY TIME 

Hey, baby ! Ho, baby ! here upon my knee, 
See the firelight flicker over you and me I 

See the tiny people basking in the glow, 
Peering through the ruddy little coals, and so 

How they dance and scamper ! Merry fairy 
folk ! 

Little sparks for spangles, little wings of smoke ! 

Come baby, come baby, nestle in my arms ; 
Hear the purring flames now sing their sleepy 
charms. 

All the firelight fairies, all the drowsy elves, 
In the downy ashes cover up themselves. 

And I fold the little blanket over you ; 

Bye baby, my baby, let us slumber too. 

51 


CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 


WHEN BETTIE AND ANNE WENT 
WALKING 

When they took their dollies walking, 
They were both so busy talking, 

(They had not met for half an hour and so 
had much to say) 

That they heedlessly kept going 
Down the shady streets, not knowing, 

Till they wanted to come back again, they 
could not find the way ! 

In their fright they felt forlorner 
Every time they turned a corner, 

And they wailed to one another, “ Oh, what- 
ever shall we do ? 

A big bear might come to bite us, 

Or a dreadful dog to fight us, 

Or the wicked gipsies get us I Oh, boo-hoo ! 
Boo-hoo 1 Boo-hoo ! ” 


52 


CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 


But this story, though a sad one, 

Has an end that’s not a bad one, 

For at last somebody found them as they bade 
the world good-by ; 

They took their dollies home again, 

And vowed they’d never roam again, 
And their mothers hugged and kissed them, 
saying, “ There, my dears, don’t cry I ” 


53 


CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 


THE BLUEBIRD 

To-day at dawn there twinkled through 
The pearly mist a flash of blue 

So dazzling bright I thought the sky 
Shone through the rifted clouds on high, 
Till, by and by, 

A note so honey-sweet I heard, 

I knew that bright flash was a bird ! 


54 


CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 


THE ORGAN-GRINDER 
Hark ! I hear the organ-grinder 
Coming down the street, 

And the sudden clatter-patter 
Of the children's feet ! 

Come, oh, let us run to meet him ! 

Did you ever hear 
Tunes so gay as he is playing, 

Or so sweet and clear ? 

See the brown-faced little monkey, 
Impudent and bold, 

With his little scarlet jacket 
Braided all in gold ! 

And his tiny cap and tassel 
Bobbing to and fro, 

Look, oh, look ! he plucks it off now, 
Bowing very low. 

55 


CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 


And he's passing it politely — 
Can it be for pay f 
0 dear me ! I have no penny I 
Let us run away ! 


56 


CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 


THE NEW MOON 
Pretty new moon, little new moon, 
Now, as first I look at you, 

I must make a wish, for wise folks 
Say it surely will come true ! 

Little new moon, pretty new moon, 

I wish — but I must not tell ! 

For if any one should hear it, 

Wise folks say it breaks the spell ! 


57 


CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 


SHOWERY TIME 
The April rain-drops tinkle 
In cuckoo-cups of gold, 

And warm south winds unwrinkle 
The buds the peach-boughs hold. 

In countless fluted creases 
The little elm-leaves show, 

While white as carded fleeces 
The dogwood blossoms blow. 

A rosy robe is wrapping 
The early red-bud trees ; 

But still the haws are napping, 

Nor heed the honey-bees. 

And still in lazy sleeping 
The apple-buds are bound, 

But tulip-tips are peeping 
From out the garden ground. 

58 


CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 


And yonder, gayly swinging 
Upon the turning vane, 

A robin redbreast singing 
Makes merry at the rain ! 


59 


CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 


EASTER DAY 
Christ the Lord is risen to-day ! 
Angels rolled the stone away 
From the tomb wherein He lay ! 

Little children, come and sing, 

“ Glory, glory to the King, 
Christ the Lord of everything I ” 


60 


CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 


THE SANDMAN 
The Sandman ! hark, I hear him I 
He’s coming up the stair, 

And everybody near him 
Is nodding, I declare ! 

He’s peeping in the door now, 
And first of all he spies, 

As he has done before now, 

The little children’s eyes ! 

Then quickly does he throw it, 
His golden sleepy-sand, 

And all, before they know it, 

Are off for sleepy-land 1 


61 


CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 


DANDELION CURLS 
Ah, ha, ha, now I who comes here 
Wreathed in flowers of gold and queer 
Tiny tangled curls of green 
Gayly bobbing in between ? 

Pretty token of the spring ! 

Hark I we hear the bluebirds sing 
When we thus see little girls 
Decked in dandelion curls. 


62 


CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 


POP-CORN 

Pop ! Pop ! — Poppetty-pop ! 
Shake and rattle and rattle and shake 
The golden grains as they bounce and break 
To fluffy pufliness — Poppetty-pop ! 

Bursting and banging the popper’s top ! 
Poppetty-pop ! 

Pop ! Pop ! 

The yellow kernels, oh, see them grow 
White as cotton or flakes of snow ! 

Pop ! Pop ! 

O-ho, how they frolic and fly about 
And turn themselves suddenly inside out ! 
Pop-pop-poppetty ! Pop-pop-pop ! 

The popper’s full and we’ll have to stop ; 
Pile the bowl with the tempting treat, 
Children, come, it is time to eat ! 


63 


CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 


THE RASH LITTLE SPARROW 
Rash little sparrow 
Up in the nest ; 

Feathers not long enough, 

Wee wings not strong enough l 
Poor little sparrow I 
Poor little breast ! 


64 


CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 


WHAT IF? 

When I see the new moon lightly 
Through cloud ripples slip, 

Then I’m sure that shining brightly 
It’s a fairy ship ! 

What if in it we were sailing 
Far and far away, 

With a wake of silver trailing, 

Till the golden day ? 

Why, we’d fly back home together 
Safely from the sky, 

For the moon’s a fairy feather 
When the sun is high I 


65 


CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 


EASTER EGGS 

Seven little nests of hay 
We have made, for Easter day 
Is to-morrow, and you know 
We must have them ready, so 
When the Rabbit comes she’ll see 
We expected her, that we 
Children tried our very best 
Each to make the nicest nest. 

One is in the lilac-bush, 

Near the ground — last year a thrush 
Built a nest there — let me see, 

Two are by the apple-tree, 

In the clover — that makes three — 
One beside the playhouse door, 

— Three plus one, that must be four — 
66 


CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 

Two are in the tulip-bed — 

Was it seven that I said ? 

Oh, yes ! six I've counted, and 
One is in our pile of sand. 

* * * * 

Come and see I Oh, hurry, hurry ! 
For the Rabbit, kind and furry, 

Has been here again and laid 
Eggs in every nest we made ! 

Purple, orange, red, and blue, 

Pink and green and yellow, too, 
Like a bunch of finest flowers 
Ever seen, and all are ours ! 

And oh, look ! What do you think I 
Here our names are in white ink, 

All spelled nicely so we know 
Just where every egg should go ! 

Is it not surprising, quite, 

How well Easter Rabbits write ? 

67 


CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 


THE BIRDS 7 BATH 
In our garden we have made 
Such a pretty little pool, 

Lined with pebbles neatly laid, 

Filled with water clean and cool. 

When the sun shines warm and high 
Robins cluster round its brink, 

Never one comes flying by 

But will flutter down to drink. 

Then they splash and splash and splash, 
Spattering little showers bright 
All around, till off they flash 
Singing sweetly their delight. 


68 


THE BIRDS’ BATH 


When the sun shines warm 
Robins cluster ’round its 


and high, 
brink. 




CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 


NOVEMBER MORNING 
A tingling, misty marvel 
Blew hither in the night, 

And now the little peach-trees 
Are clasped in frozen light. 

Upon the apple-branches 
An icy film is caught, 

With trailing threads of gossamer 
In pearly patterns wrought. 

The autumn sun, in wonder, 

Is gayly peering through 
This silver-tissued network 
Across the frosty blue. 

The weather-vane is fire-tipped, 
The honeysuckle shows 
A dazzling icy splendor, 

And crystal is the rose. 

69 


CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 


Around the eaves are fringes 
Of icicles that seem 
To mock the summer rainbows 
With many-colored gleam. 

Along the walk, the pebbles 
Are each a precious stone ; 
The grass is tasseled hoarfrost, 
The clover jewel-sown. 

Such sparkle, sparkle, sparkle 
Fills all the frosty air, 

Oh, can it be that darkness 
Is ever anywhere I 


70 


CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 


THE RUNAWAY 
A frantic clatter of horses’ feet ! 

A runaway’s coming down the street I 
Flurry, scurry, 

Children, hurry ! 

Drop your playthings I Quick ! don’t 
wait ! 

Run and get within the gate ! 

Push the baby in the door, 

Scramble in yourselves before 
— Whoa! Whoa! 

There they go ! 

Pell-mell rushing, snorting, quaking, 
Wagon rumbling, harness breaking, 
Frightened so they cannot know 
Everybody’s shrieking “ Whoa ! ” 

O my, don’t cry ! 

Whiz, bang, they’ve galloped by 1 

71 


CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 


No one hurt, but horses dashed 
Round a post and wagon smashed 1 
Dear me ! Dear me ! 

When a runaway we see, 
Children, too, must run, oh, fast I 
Run and hide as it goes past 1 


72 


CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 


LOST ! 

“ Peep ! Peep ! Peep ! ” Poor little 
chick ! 

Little cry so weak and small, 
Meadow grass so tall and thick, 
And the clover tufts so tall ! 

Little heart in sore distress, 
Longing for the mother wing ; 
Through the weedy wilderness 
Searching for its sheltering I 


73 


CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 


THE QUEEN’S PAGE 
Once I was a little page 
To a May-day queen, 

And I wore a little coat 
Made of Lincoln green. 

Oh, the queen was beautiful ! 

And she had a bright 
Crown of golden cuckoo-buds 
And violets blue and white. 

On the step beside her throne 
I sat very still, 

Ready, as a page should be, 

To obey her will. 

And before us little girls, 

Each with garlands gay, 

Round a May-pole danced and sang 
Almost all the day. 

74 


CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 


OUR TREE-TOAD 
Grandfather says the tree-toad, 

That to our yard has come, 

Is just a little wee toad 

No bigger than his thumb ! 

And that his coat’s so queer it 
Can turn from green to blue ! 
Whatever color’s near it, 

Why, that’s its color, too ! 

And then Grandfather snickers 
And says, “ Would you suppose 
He climbs with little stickers 
On all his little toes ? 

11 And don’t you wish your toes now 
Were fixed like his ? For, see, 
Right up the elm he goes now 
And sticks tight to the tree ! ” 

75 


CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 


“ But then,” he says, “ O dear me ! 

If all the little boys 
Could screech as loud, I fear me 
There’d be a dreadful noise ! ” 


76 


CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 


IN THE WATER-WORLD 
Down among the water-weeds, 
Darting through the grass, 
Round about the tasseled reeds, 
See the minnows pass ! 

See the little turtles there, 

Hiding, half asleep, 

Tucked in tangled mosses where 
Tiny crayfish creep ! 

Watch the trailing grasses string 
Strands of purple shells 
That the lazy ripples ring, 

Sweet as silver bells ; 

Watch the sunshine sift and drift 
Down the eddy whirls, 

Whence the laden whiteweeds lift 
Loads of blossom pearls ; 

77 


CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 


While the limpid shadows slip 
Softly in between, 

And the pussy-willows dip 
Lightly in the green 
Of the mocking trees that grow 
Down the water-sky, 

Flecked with fleecy clouds that blow 
Where the reed-birds fly. 

Oh, such marvels manifold 
Fill the summer stream, 

Such enticing things untold 
Through the ripples gleam, 

If you could a moment turn 
Into what you wish, 

Would it not be fun to be 
Yonder little fish ? 


78 


CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 


WHO WAS IT ? 

Of course I’ve heard the moon’s green 
cheese, 

But will somebody tell me, please, 
Who was it took so big a bite 
There’s scarcely any left to-night ? 


79 


CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 


VISITING DAY 

I’ll wear the striped skirt that trails, 
And you the flowered one, 

And we will take our parasols 
And walk out in the sun. 

We’ll leave our dolly-carts at home, 
For ladies, when they call, 

Must not have children with them, no, 
That would not do at all. 

And I’ll be “ Mrs. Wilkinson,” 

And you’ll be “ Mrs. Brown,” 

And we will call and call and call 
On every one in town I 


80 


CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 


A VALENTINE TO CATHERINE 
If you will be my True-Love, 

I’ll tell you what I’ll do, 

I’ll ask a little bluebird 
To sing a song to you. 

When first you see a violet 
And softly pricking through 
The garden-bed come crocuses 
And golden tulips, too, 

Then watch ! for he’ll be coming, 
The little bird of blue ; 

He’ll sing, 14 1 love you, Sweetheart, 
It’s true, true, true ! ” 


81 


CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 


FIREFLIES 

Look ! Look down in the garden how 
The firefly lights are flitting now ! 

A million tiny sparks I know 
Flash through the pinks and golden- 
glow, 

And I am very sure that all 
Have come to light a fairy ball, 

And if I could stay up Fd see 
How gay the fairy folks can be ! 


82 


CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 


TIIE RAINY DAY 
Let’s sail all day, away, away 
To the splendid Spanish Main 
And the sultry seas of the Caribbees 
And skies that never rain ! 

As pirates bold with bags of gold 
And cutlasses and things, 

We’ll pack doubloons and silver spoons 
In chests with iron rings. 

And these we’ll carry and secretly bury 
In cannibal isles afar ; 

Like Captain Kidd, when they’re safely hid 
We won’t tell where they are. 

Let’s sail all day, away, away 
To the splendid Spanish Main 
And the sultry seas of the Caribbees 
—But at night sail home again I 
83 


CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 


THE FIRST RED-BIRD 

I heard a song at daybreak, 

So honey-sweet and clear, 

The essence of all joyous things 
Seemed mingling in its cheer. 

The frosty world about me 
I searched with eager gaze, 

But all was slumber-bound and 
wrapped 

In violet-tinted haze. 

Then suddenly a sunbeam 
Shot slanting o’er the hill, 

And once again from out the sky 
I heard that honied trill. 

84 


CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 


And there upon a poplar, 

Poised at its topmost height, 

I saw a little singer clad 
In scarlet plumage bright. 

The poplar branches quivered, 

By dawn winds lightly blown, 
And like a breeze-swept poppy- 
flower 

The red-bird rocked and shone. 

The blue sky, and his feathers 
Flashed o’er by golden light, 
Oh, all my heart with rapture 
thrilled, 

It was so sweet a sight ! 


85 


CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 


THE WEATHER-VANE 
Turn, turn, when pelting rain 
Rushes down the window-pane ; 

Turn, turn, and turn again 
When the sun shines, weather-vane ! 

Fie ! Fie ! to always be 
Emblem of uncertainty ! 

Followed by the restless sea, 
Changeful moons may wax and wane, 
Yet the moons and sea-tides, too, 
Constant are compared to you ! 
Fickle still you must remain 
Long as winds blow, weather-vane I 


86 


CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 


THE SWAN 

Stately swan, so proud and white 
Glistening in the morning light, 
Come and tell me is it true 
That a snow-white swan like you, 
Guided by bright golden chains 
In his beak for bridle reins, 

Once upon a time from far 
Fabled lands where fairies are 
Brought a magic boat wherein 
Rode the brave knight Lohengrin ? 

Stately swan, so proud and white 
Glistening in the morning light, 

If you only wore a gold 
Harness, like that swan of old, 

And if trailing in your wake 
Sailing on the silver lake 
87 


CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 


Was a boat of magic and 
You could float to fairy-land, 
Then I’d jump in and begin 
Traveling like Lohengrin ! 


88 


CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 


BABY'S BAKING 

So, so, spade and hoe, 

Little pile of sand ; 

See it turning into dough 
In the baby's hand ! 

Little pie with crimpy crust, 
Set it in the sun ; 

Sugar it with powdered dust, 
And bake it till it's done. 


89 


CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 


A SURE SIGN 
When you see upon the walk 
Circles newly made of chalk, 

And around them all the day 
Little boys in eager play 
Rolling marbles, agates fine, 

Banded, polished, red as wine, 
Marbles crystal as the dew, 

Each with rainbows twisted through, 
Marbles gay in painted clay, 
Flashing, twinkling in your way, 
When the walk has blossomed so, 
Surely every one must know 
None need wonder who has heard 
Robin, wren, or Peter-bird ; 

Sure the sign as song or wing, 

It is spring I 


90 


CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 


ANOTHER SURE SIGN 

When pink-cheeked on every hand 
Little girls are seen to stand 
Turning skipping-ropes, — swish- 
swash ! — 

While their laughing playmates run 
Jumping over, — oh, what fun ! — 
Swish-swash ! Swish-swash ! 

Two and two now, see them dash ! 
One , two , one , two , 

Round they scamper, safely through, 
Swish-swash ! such merry skipping, 
One , two , — some one is tripping ! 

Ah, she’s out now and must pay 
Turning rope while others play ! 

See the bobbing golden curls, 

Little skirts in rhythmic swirls 

91 


CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 


Rising, falling, to the beat 
Of the little skipping feet ! 

When these pretty sights appear, 
It is surely very clear 
April’s here I 


92 


CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 


THE ROBIN’S BATH 
A flash and flicker of dripping wings, 
A wet red breast that glows 
Bright as the newly opened bud 
The first red poppy shows, 

A. sparkle of flying rainbow drops, 

A glint of golden sun 
On ruffled feathers, a snatch of song, 
And the robin’s bath is done. 


93 


CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 


THE FROSTED PANE 
When I wakened, very early, 

All my window-pane was pearly 
With a sparkling little picture traced in lines 
of shining white ; 

Some magician with a gleaming 
Frosty brush, while I was dreaming, 

Must have come and by the starlight worked 
through all the quiet night. 

He had painted frosty people, 

And a frosty church and steeple, 

And a frosty bridge and river tumbling over 
frosty rocks ; 

Frosty mountain peaks that glimmered, 
And fine frosty ferns that shimmered, 
And a frosty little pasture full of frosty little 
flocks. 


94 


CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 


It was all touched in so lightly 
And it glittered, oh, so whitely, 

That I gazed and gazed in wonder at the 
lovely painted pane ; 

Then the sun rose high and higher 
With his wand of golden fire 
Till, alas, my picture vanished and I looked 
for it in vain I 


95 


CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 


THE FIRST SNOW 

The snow ! the snow ! Whoop I Hooray I 
Ho! Ho! 

Plunge in the deep drifts and toss it up so ! 
Rollick and roll in the feathery fleece 
Plucked out of the breasts of the marvelous 
geese 

By the little old woman who lives in the sky ; 
Have ever you seen her ? No, neither have I ! 


96 


CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 


GRANDFATHER KNOWS 
Grandfather says of all things 
The silliest he’s heard 
Is that some children call things 
They’ve never seen, “ absurd ! ” 
And have their doubts of true things, 
And won’t believe, because 
They say, “ If you but knew things, 
There is no Santa Claus ! ” 

Grandfather says he knows him, 

And sees him every year, 

And Santa often shows him 
The playthings he brings here ; 

He says, too, Santa told him 
If any girls and boys 
Laugh at and won’t uphold him, 
They’ll not get any toys I 


97 


CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 


SLEIGH-BELLS 

Tinkle, tinkle, tinkle ! 

Happy winter-time 1 

Baby’s eyes a-twinkle, 

Hear the sleigh-bells chime ! 

Each one rings a merry 
Ting-a-ling-a-ling ! 

For a sleigh-bell fairy 
Hides inside to sing. 

See them quake and quiver, 

Up and downward tossed, 

Seems as if they shiver 
In the nipping frost I 

Shiver into laughter, 

Jolly little elves ! 

Till we laugh thereafter, 

Merry as themselves I 

98 


CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 


THE RED-BIRD 

Swept lightly by the south wind 
The elm-leaves softly stirred, 

And in their pale green clusters 
There straightway bloomed a bird ! 

His glossy feathers glistened 
With dyes as richly red 
As any tulip flaming 

From out the garden bed. 

But ah, unlike the tulips, 

In joyous strain, ere long, 

This red-bird flower unfolded 
A heart of golden song 1 


99 


CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 


WILD BEASTS 
I will be a lion 

And you shall be a bear, 

And each of us will have a den 
Beneath a nursery chair ; 

And you must growl and growl and 
growl, 

And I will roar and roar, 

And then — why, then — you'll growl 
again, 

And I will roar some more ! 


100 


CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 


WHEREFORE WINGS? 

Heigho, sparrow ! Reckless of the rain ; 

When chill the cheerless wind grows, 
Chirping might and main ! 

Is it naught, then, when the rose 
Blows again ? 

Beating, sleeting on your draggled coat ! 

Surely, ’tis enough to drown 
Any happy note 

Nestling in that downy brown 
Little throat. 

Ah me, sparrow ! Had I but your power, 
Think you in the freezing sleet 
I would waste an hour ? 

— I’d sing my sweetest to a sweet 
Orange flower ! 

101 


CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 


BASKING 

Frosty winter chased away 
By the blessed sun, 

Down upon the garden walks 
Basking has begun. 

Oh, the happy, happy heat ! 

How the pulses stir, 

How it warms the hearts beneath 
Little coats of fur ! 

Oh, the happy pussy-cats ! 

Days to doze and doze, 

And what pleasant dreams they dream 
Only pussy knows. 


102 


CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 


WITH A MAY-BASKET FOR BABY 
AGNES 

Peach-buds to meet thee, 

Robins to greet thee, 

Hey, little Sweetheart! and May morning, 
hey! 

Sunbeam and sing time, 

Bluebird and wing time, 

This time is kiss time for sweethearts, I 


Dearest, God bless thee, 

Fold and caress thee, 

Unto thy cradle may good fairies fly 1 
Fortune be fair for thee, 
This is my prayer for thee, 
Lullaby, little one, hush-a-by-bye ! 

103 


CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 


So for a love now 
Token thereof now, 

Sweet, see this tiny May-basket I bring ; 
Posies to play with, 

Pinks to be gay with, 

Dear little baby of sunshine and spring I 


104 


CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 


THE LITTLE NEST 

A little picture haunts me ; 

It comes and comes again ; 

It is a tiny bird's-nest, 

All ragged from the rain. 

It clings within a birch-tree 
Upon the moorland's edge, 

Between the barren branches, 
Above the swaying sedge. 

The sky is gray behind it, 

And when the north winds blow, 

The birch-tree bends and shivers, 
And tosses to and fro. 

I wonder, does it haunt them, 

The birds that flew away ? 

And will they come to seek it, 

Some sunny summer day ? 

105 


CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 

I wonder, does some redbreast 
Upon an orange-bough, 

Still picture it as plainly 
As I can see it now ? 

Ah me ! I would forget it, 

Yet still, with sense of pain, 

I see this little bird’s-nest 
Within the driving rain. 


106 


CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 


CHRISTMAS CANDLES 
When the Christ-child comes again 
Softly down the street to-night, 
Twinkling through the window pane 
Let our candles shed their light. 

Though the clouds are dark above 
And the golden stars are dim, 

We can tell Him of our love 
If we set a light for Him. 

Oh, the blessed Christ-child dear, 

In His robe of shining white, 

Let our candles give Him cheer 
As He passes by to-night! 


107 


CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 


A SONG OF THE CHRISTMAS-TREE 

Hurrah ! Hurrah ! for the Christmas-tree 
With its glory and glitter and mystery ! 

Its twinkling candles that bud and bloom 
Like strange bright flowers in the darkened 
room, 

Its glistening gold and silver balls, 

Its candy canes and its blue-eyed dolls, 

The sugary fruits it bears, — for oh, 

Where else do such wonderful sweetmeats 
grow ? — 

Its tasseled horns and its pop-corn strings 
And all its myriad marvelous things 1 
O-ho ! and ah-ha ! 

And a hip hurrah ! 

For our dear and beautiful tree, because 
It grew in the gardens of Santa Claus 
• 108 



CHRISTMAS CANDLES 

We can tell Him of our love 
If we set a light for Him. 





CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 


And he brought it here in his reindeer 
sleigh 

From ever and ever so far away ! 

So f childreny come, let us make a ring 
And all clasp hands as we dance and sing 
To the blessed tree and the blessed night 
When the Christ-child walks in the candles ’ 
light ! 


Hurrah ! Hurrah ! for the Christmas-tree 
That Santa Claus brought to you and me ! 

He cut it down with a silver axe — 

There’s a tree in each of his million packs ! — 
And carried it safely over the snow 
And down our chimney and here, you know ; 
Its golden cobwebs that glint and gleam 
He took from a lovely Christmas dream 
And tangled them over it till, behold, 

It shines like the fabled Fleece of Gold I 


109 


CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 


Oh, Santa Claus, here’s 
A thrice three cheers 
For garlands green and berries of red, 

And mistletoe clustering overhead, 

For the joy of our Christmas festival ! 

But our beautiful tree, it is best of all I 
And circling still in a merry ring 
We'll still clasp hands as we dance and sing 
To the blessed tree and the blessed night 
When the Christ-child walks in the candles' 
light ! 

Hurrah I Hurrah ! for the Christmas-tree ! 
And look, O look to its tip and see 
The feathery slim fir leaves and where, 

In the topmost boughs, is the image fair 
Of the Christ-child nestling amid the green 
And the little brown cones that peep 
between ! 


110 


CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 


And high above Him glittering bright 
A gold star sparkles with golden light, 

And we children think, as we gaze on them, 
Of the wonderful Star of Bethlehem, 

Of the lovely Star 

And the Kings who far, 

Oh, far, came seeking a Babe and brought 
Their love and worship to Him they sought, 
And made Him gifts, as the gifts we make 
With loving hearts for that Baby's sake. 

Oh, come , come all , and join the ring ! 

Let all clasp hands as we dance and sing 
To the blessed tree and the blessed night 
When the Christ-child walks in the candled 
light / 


111 


CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 


OUR KITTENS 
Our kittens have the softest fur, 
And the sweetest little purr, 

And such little velvet paws 
With such cunning little claws, 
And blue eyes, just like the sky I 
{Must they turn green, by and by?) 
Two are striped like tigers, three 
Are as black as black can be, 

And they run so fast and play 
With their tails, and are so gay, 

Is it not a pity that 
Each must grow into a cat ? 


112 


CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 


IN JULY 

Let us find a shady wady 
Pretty little brook ; 

Let us have some candy handy, 

And a picture-book. 

There all day we’ll stay and play and 
Never mind the heat, 

While the water gleaming, streaming, 
Ripples round our feet. 

And we’ll gather curly pearly 
Mussel-shells while bright 

Frightened minnows darting, parting, 
Scurry out of sight. 

What if, what if, — heigho ! my oh ! — 
All the “ ifs ” were true, 

And the little fishes wishes, 

Now, what would you do? 

113 


CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 


A VALENTINE TO A LITTLE CHILD 
Dear heart, on this thrice-blessed day, 
An thou my sweetheart be, 

The rose of love shall bide alway 
Upon the red-rose tree. 

And in the garden of my heart 
So ceaselessly shall shine, 

The little birds will know thou art 
Mine own true Valentine. 

And I will bid them wing and sing 
To all good winds that blow, 

That to thy little feet they bring 
All blessings, even so. 

And o’er thy cradle I will coax, 

By every lucky charm, 

The friendship of the fairy folks 
To fold thee from all harm. 


114 


CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 


So may they hover round thy head 
And gently thereupon, 

As doth the April sunshine, shed 
Most gracious benison. 

And all fair gifts that Fortune hath, 
I’ll pray she promise these, 

And that she loose about thy path 
All sweet influences. 

Then here’s a kiss ! and there’s a kiss I 
And kisses, one, two, three ! 

I seal them in the folds of this, 

And speed them unto thee ! 


115 


CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 


ZIP! 

When we went to drive the cows home 
Down the lane to-day, 

There was such a funny bunny 
Jumped across the way ! 

All we saw as he ran past us, 

Faster than a quail, 

Was his snow-white fuzzy-wuzzy 
Little cotton tail l 


116 


CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 


A LITTLE CAROL 

Welcome, little Brother I 
Lowly, holy One ! 

Hail thee, Virgin Mother, 
More than any other 
Blessed in thy Son I 

Child, since the poor manger 
Once thou didst not scorn, 
Rest thee, little Stranger, 
Folded from all danger, 

In our hearts new-born ! 

Nestle thus, we pray thee, 

In our love’s caress ; 

Fain we are to pay thee 
Worship, and obey thee, 
Babe, and Prince no less I 

117 


CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 


SONG 

Honey-dew drippity-drops for a feast, 

Dreams of delight when the feasting has ceased, 
Poppy and rose, 

Drain them and doze ; 

This is a song that the butterfly knows. 


118 


CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 


THE THREE CANDLES 
When the Christmas-tide drew nigh, 
On a shelf three candles bright, 

Two were red and one was white, 
Waited for who came to buy. 

Said the first one, “ I shall be 
Chosen for a Christmas-tree ! ” 

Said the second, “ I shall light 
Christ Jesus on His way to-night ! ” 
Then the third one sighed, “ Ah me, 
I know not what my lot will be ! ” 

When the dark fell, bright and gay 
The first candle burned away, 

Red as all the berries red 
On the holly overhead, 

While the children in their glee 
Danced around the Christmas-tree. 
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CHILD SONGS OF CHEER 


And the second, twinkling bright, 
Poured forth all its golden light 
Through a window decked with green 
Garlands and red ribbons’ sheen, 

So the Christ-child when He came 
Might be guided by its flame. 

But the third one in the gloom 
Of a bare and cheerless room 
Softly burned where long had lain 
A poor little child in pain, 

And the baby in its bed 
By the light was comforted. 

When the Christ-child passed that night 
All three candles gave Him light, 

But the brightest was the spark 
By the baby in the dark. 

The End 


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LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 


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